Thoughts on thinking, learning & the brain

John Medina’s Mindset

The human brain appears to have been designed to solve problems related to surviving in an outdoor setting in unstable meteorological conditions and to do so in near constant motion.

So…if you wanted to design a learning environment that was directly opposed to what the brain is naturally good at doing ~ you’d design a frickin classroom!

Yes, that is exactly what John Medina said at the beginning of his talk. John Medina (a “developmental molecular biologist by training”) has much to share, says it succinctly and with wit, and shares it willingly both in his book, 12 Brain Rules, and in talks. Here he is (scroll to the 30 minute mark) at the iste 2011 Conference in Philadelphia, talking about “how the formal brain sciences might influence how we teach people, particularly for people who are interested in using information technology of a wide variety of stripes to aid learning”.

I have written several times about Medina. It’s not so much that what he has to say is novel, for I’ve heard similar ideas elsewhere, but he knows how to share with passion and in a way that engages, making it easier to learn and thus to remember.

Welcome to Neurons Firing, a place where I write about the brain, learning, yoga, and occasional sidetracks. If you are curious to know more about me, click the ABOUT link at the top. Thanks for visiting!